Decades Ago, Richard J. Powell Was Among Only a Handful of Scholars Dedicated to Black Art History. Here’s How He Has Seen the Field Change

Richard J. Powell literally wrote the book on Black art history—specifically Black Art: A Cultural History, from Thames & Hudson’s World of Art series. That groundbreaking volume has served as an introduction for several generations of students. As a historian specializing in African-American art history, the Chicago-born scholar’s expertise lies in his astute understanding of the history of Black cultural life in America. Read more from his feature in ArtNet here.